12 petitions calling for a memorial to David Bowie

Published:14:19Friday 15 January 2016

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With a nation’s struggling to come to terms with the death of David Bowie, many people are keen that we remember the UK’s most enduring musician. Here are 12 unusual petitions that call for tribute to be paid.

Most popular at present is a call for Bank of England chief Mark Carney, to put the face of the departed rock star on a £20 note - 12,000 people have signed it at time of writing.

A statue is perhaps a more ostentatious tribute and we’re not sure Bowie would have approved, but locals in his home area of Brixton have petitioned Lambeth Council with signatory numbers creeping towards 1,000. https://www.change.org/p/lambeth-council-to-get-a-statue-of-david-bowie-erected-in-brixton-london

Apart from many legendary gigs in the city, Bowie had an affinity with Glasgow, and music fans there are asking that Duke Street be renamed as “Thin White Duke Street” - surprisingly, perhaps it’s not quite at 1,000 yet. https://www.change.org/p/glasgow-city-council-immortalise-david-bowie-by-changing-glasgow-s-duke-street-to-thin-white-duke-street - not at 1,000 yet

In Berlin, where Bowie lived in the 1970s and worked on three albums, around 10,000 locals have campaigned for Hauptstrassen to be renamed after the famous former resident - https://www.change.org/p/wir-wollen-eine-david-bowie-stra%C3%9Fe-in-berlin

The Spanish, perhaps less connected with Bowie personally, are no less keen, with a campaign supported by 2,000 people to rename Plaça d’Espanya in Barcelona. Being in Catalonia this may have some political motivation of course, and we can’t be sure how the man himself felt about independence for smaller countries or regions…

Meanwhile, locals in music-mad Austin, Texas, have already taken things into their own hands with a roadsign on Bowie Street ‘vandalized’ with ‘David’ added. A petition to make the name change permanent is online, and indeed the local administration have said that the sign can stay for now. Although they may have a (knife) fight on their hands - the street is named after Jim Bowie, the Texas Revolution military leader, and the man who gave his name to the knife that David Jones took his name from.

Given that the star quickly lived out his ‘Ashes to Ashes’ mantra by being cremated soon after his death, the call for Bowie ‘fan’ David Cameron to organise a state funeral has now stalled with little over 100 names… https://www.change.org/p/david-cameron-mp-state-funeral-for-david-bowie

Another campaign, aimed at the UK Parliament, was rejected. The 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square - often reserved for transient pieces of artwork - would be an ideal position for a statue of the great man, but the government has pointed out that whatever occupies the plinth is the responsibility of the London Assembly.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/118322

Of course, with Bowie’s most famous work often having an interstellar theme - Space Oddity, Life on Mars - there are several calls for space-themed tributes. Trickiest may be actually renaming Mars , although 4,000 people are already keen on the idea. https://www.change.org/p/international-astronomical-union-iau-rename-planet-mars-after-david-bowie

It may be simpler to name a new star in his honour, of course: https://www.change.org/p/international-astronomical-union-name-the-next-star-discovered-after-david-bowie - 7,000 people seem to agree.

An entire constellation may be a taller order, perhaps reflected by the mere 1,000 names under this one. Plus Bowie never sang about ‘“Constellation man”.

Finally, and signed by 10,000 very optimistic people, Italian Andrea Natella is going straight to the top. A statement reads simply: “Petitioning God or whom it may concern”, adding “Say no to David Bowie dead.”